The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-09-26
Hen Talk.
Etom IYide .Aloake for Septenlber.


As an example of bird-language, the or
binary domestic fowl presents the most in
teresting and perfect range, so common
that it is rarely considered or reflected upon;
not a few will be astonished at the vocal
possibilities of the hen if they will give the
subject little investigation
Knowing that the hen has voice, we
assume that its Office is to afford communi-
cation between individuals. Half an hour
in farmyard will beyond question demon
strate this and that certain sounds are the
equivalents of words The crow of the
cock is assuredly challenge, the moment
another bird is noticed, and is kept up either
in advance or retreat. 1t Is sounded in the
morning in answer to others, and is com
parable to the challenge or war cry of many
savage tribes, or even the answering shouts
of college boys or men, that are uneXplaln-
able on other grounds than challenge of
merits.
5sObserving closely our rooster, accompa-
MED by his family, we notice that the hens
pay no attention to the challenge; but let
him find some delicacy, he utters sue
cession of short notes. Tuck, tuck, tuck,
tuck" upon which the Others rush about
HIM eager to share. Again, if n hawk
flies overhead, the cock, guardian of the
flock, raises his head aud utters a pro
longed note, as different from the for
mer Us possible; "Ka-r-r-r-e," he seems to
say, which translated into English means
''look out for the hawk! run!n and imme-
diately hens and chickens duck their heads
and rush for cover Now let dog dart af
ter the head of this family, and listen to the
clucks and other sounds coming fast
and furious--protests in every intonation.
The hen cannot crow, but she has in other
respects as perfect control of language as her
master Indeed, she can sing; purely
self-congratulatory performance expressive
of deep contentment and complete Satlsfac-
ton, heard when hens are let out and they
are running for food, and upon warm days
in spring it is a kerr, kerr, kerr" differing
in its meditation and information in individ-
uals. How different is this from the sharp
"cluck, cluck' of the motherhen. The lat
ter is a general warning to everybody, and
plainly says; Il have young family, and
must be let alone" If a grain is found how
suddenly this is changed to the
Quick call, "Tuck, tuck, tuck!n
upon hoering which the little
ones come rushing pel-mell; and they I'M
derstand it the moment they leave the shell.
Indeed the different notes, or baby talk"
of q hen are of great variety. No one
would think of saying that the ''cut, cut
ca a-cut" was a call. 1t says as plain as
words can tell, II have laid all egg" and
the bright little egg-hunter who hears i'm
medately starts for the hay loft, as favor
tie hound of mine was in q habit of doing
She understood hen language, and fed upon
freshly laid eggs for some time before l dis
covered that she was such a llngulst. The
moment cut, cut, ca-dd-cut" was heard
she trotted to the hen coop.
When the little chicks are nestled under
the mother another sound is heard, pro-
longed hoarse ''c-r-a-w-z-z-e, era Wee, "
which copy from happy mother in my
possession without the aid of a photograph.
Enter chicken coop at night and soft
whistling noise is made, a gentle chirping
by the birds, sounding something like
"w-h-o-o-i-e," rapidly repeated, that speaks
plainly of apprehension. If a chicken is
seized by the leg the ''c-r-a-i-a-i-o-u, c-r-a-i-
-i-o.u" that follows could never be con-
strued into anything but wall of anguish.
SO if we commence dictionary of the do
nestle fowl language we might have the
following as basis:
J,-kd. do -dI e-do-o-O. Challenge OF male.
Tuck. tuck tuck Food call of male.
K-d-r-r-e. Announcing presence of hawk.
Cut. cat, ca-da-cuf. Announcement OF egg
laying.
Cluck chuck chuck. Call of young.
Kerr KERR kerr. Song Of contentinent of hen.
C-r-d-I0-=-=-c. Quetipg young chicks.
Wh-o-o.ie (whistIe) Expression OF appre-
hension ut night.
C-r.a-ja-io,M Terror and protest at cap
ture.
These sounds Of course vary in indivi-
duals; that is, in the intonation, as, like per-
sons, no two birds can utter tie same
vocal sounds.